The panel was part of a presentation of the next two years of live-action movies from Disney, which owns Marvel and Lucasfilm. The latter's Star Wars panel has become one of the most talked-about panels at the biennial D23, but there were no new announcements this time.

The Han Solo spin-off, which fired directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller in favour of Oscar-winning Ron Howard last month, was glossed over, with no cast appearances.

But Rian Johnson, who directed the forthcoming eighth instalment of the main series, The Last Jedi, delighted fans by introducing many of the cast members, including Mark Hamill, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega.

Another highlight was a section offering news and footage from Disney's animation to live-action slate, including remakes of The Lion King, Mulan and Aladdin. The crowd was on its feet after seeing a clip from The Lion King,when Rafiki introduces Simba to the animals.

"This is a story that belongs to everyone who grew up with the original film," said director Jon Favreau. - AFP